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DemocracyAlerts

From time to time, the World Movement for Democracy issues alerts concerning participants and other colleagues who are, or may be, facing personal danger due to their work on behalf of democracy and for whom a vigorous response from around the world may be critical.

To see previous alerts go to www.wmd.org/democracyalerts/democracyAlerts.html.

(June 19, 2008)

DemocracyAlert: A Birthday Message to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma

On the occasion of her 63rd birthday, on which we convey our best wishes, the World Movement wishes to highlight the struggle of National League for Democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the egregious situation in Burma.   Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is one of the world’s most renowned freedom fighters and advocates of nonviolence, having served as the figurehead for Burma’s struggle for democracy since 1988.  After joining the National League for Democracy political party in 1988, she gave numerous speeches calling for freedom and democracy at numerous demonstrations.  The military regime responded to the uprising with brute force, shooting and otherwise killing up to 10,000 demonstrators in only a few months.   

Since 1990, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been arrested and detained numerous times.   Her most recent incarceration began in May 2003 after the Depayin massacre, during which up to 100 of her supporters were beaten to death by the regime’s cronies.   Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was imprisoned and months later moved to house arrest.  On May 27, 2008, the military junta extended her detention for the sixth year.  She remains the world’s only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient.  The World Movement offers its solidarity with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her followers, and thanks her for her continuing leadership and dedication.

It is also fitting that on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday the UN is holding a debate in New York on women, peace, and security.  The debate will focus on UNSC Resolution 1325, which requires parties in a conflict to respect women’s rights and to support their participation in peace negotiations and in post-conflict reconstruction.  Burma is now in the midst of conflict, and according to the All Burma Monks’ Alliance, among the over 2,000 political prisoners in Burma, at least 154 are women activists.  Burmese military troops are raping ethnic women and girls with impunity, some as young as eight years old.  In the frontier areas, the Burmese military uses women as porters during the day and sex slaves at night. 

The Burmese government’s response to Cyclone Nargis has created more problems for the security and safety of the people of Burma.  The cyclone caused the deadliest natural disaster in the recorded history of the country.  The cyclone made landfall on May 2, causing catastrophic destruction with at least 76,000 fatalities, according to official estimates.  However, it is believed that the Burmese government's official death toll is grossly underreported as they have simply stopped counting the dead to minimize political fallout.  It is feared that due to lack of relief efforts, a total of one million people already have or will die from this catastrophe.  Among the 2.5 million who were severely affected by Cyclone Nargis and ignored by the junta, at least 50 percent are women and over 35,000 of them are pregnant.  These women are very unlikely to receive any care.

The World Movement for Democracy therefore joins the All Burma Monks’ Alliance and other groups working for the rights and freedom of the Burmese people, in calling on the international community to act now to protect them.

To learn more about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the current situation in Burma from the US Campaign for Burma, go to: http://uscampaignforburma.org